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Among those brilliant men and women referred to by Geldof is Gordon Keller, who is coming home to Canada to head up the McEwen Centre after spending 16 years in the United States.
One of the world's foremost stem cell researchers, the native of Melville, Sask., has spent the last seven years at New York's Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where his lab has performed groundbreaking research generating various types of cells from embryonic stem cells.
Despite being touted by New York Magazine earlier this year as one of six doctors the city couldn't afford to lose, Keller jumped at the chance to become founding director of the centre created by Toronto's University Health Network.
Among his reasons for heading north: "The opportunity to work with what I think is the best stem cell community in the world," Keller said in an interview.
"One of the unique features, I think, is the existing strength of both stem cell biology and regenerative medicine in Toronto in a very defined area. A lot of the institutes are close to each other . . . with each of them housing really superb scientists."
The centre, given $10 million in start-up funding by philanthropists Rob and Cheryl McEwen, initially will include 15 researchers. Included in the team are internationally recognized experts in stem cell research, regenerative medicine and molecular biology.
"One of the reasons I was really attracted to the position was the collaborative nature of the group," said Keller, who will take the helm in January. "I think we have a great opportunity to bring these people together in one centre to really push the field forward."
Regenerative medicine, he explained, is "that aspect of medicine that aims to either repair or replace tissue damaged by disease, accident or age." Scientists will focus on four key areas: cardiovascular disease, spinal cord injury, diabetes and blood disorders.
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